Photo: Kia
Excluding $900 worth of destination, the range-topping Kia starts at $31,900. And you know what that means, don’t you? Kia offers an alternative to liftback sedans such as the 430i Gran Coupe and A5 Sportback, undercutting the latter by $5,500. And in comparison to the compact executive 4 Series and A5, the Stinger is mid-size.
That’s a lot of car for the money, and many buyers in the segment will be tempted into giving the Kia a chance before putting a deposit down. Designed in Frankfurt and developed on the Nurburgring, the Stinger is offered with two engines, one transmission option, and two drivetrains.
The $31,900 commanded by the entry-level trim gets you rear-wheel-drive, eight speeds, and the 2.0-liter Theta II T-GDi. The four-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged engine develops 255 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 260 pound-feet from 1,400 to 4,000 rpm, translating to 5.9 seconds until the speedometer reads 60 mph. All-wheel-drive is available as an optional extra ($2,200) across all trims, it’s rear-wheel biased, and features Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control. The AWD system can route up to 50 percent of the torque to the front and up to 80 percent to the rear wheels.
Four more trim levels are available, starting with the Premium ($37,100) and topping with the GT2 ($49,200). If you’re into driving, it’s the Stinger GT2 that you want. In rear-drive configuration, the top-of-the-line GT2 can be equipped with a multi-plate limited-slip differential. The GT, GT1, and GT2 get the twin-turbo 3.3-liter Lambda II T-GDi V6, which produces 365 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 376 pound-feet from 1,350 rpm to 4,500 rpm, translating to more power than the BMW 440i Gran Coupe, Audi S5 Sportback, and Infiniti Q50. What’s more, the Stinger GTs are all quicker than the six-cylinder Porsche Panamera.
It’s fast, it’s great value, but does it do the family-hauling part as well? It does, and then some! With 23.3 cu.ft. of cargo space and acres of room for the rear passengers, you could easily use the Stinger as your primary car. And thanks to 60/40 split-folding rear seats, the Stinger isn’t phased off by the occasional trip to IKEA. If you wanted a six-speed manual, tough luck! The 2.2-liter turbo diesel isn't available in the U.S. either.
The $31,900 commanded by the entry-level trim gets you rear-wheel-drive, eight speeds, and the 2.0-liter Theta II T-GDi. The four-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged engine develops 255 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 260 pound-feet from 1,400 to 4,000 rpm, translating to 5.9 seconds until the speedometer reads 60 mph. All-wheel-drive is available as an optional extra ($2,200) across all trims, it’s rear-wheel biased, and features Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control. The AWD system can route up to 50 percent of the torque to the front and up to 80 percent to the rear wheels.
Four more trim levels are available, starting with the Premium ($37,100) and topping with the GT2 ($49,200). If you’re into driving, it’s the Stinger GT2 that you want. In rear-drive configuration, the top-of-the-line GT2 can be equipped with a multi-plate limited-slip differential. The GT, GT1, and GT2 get the twin-turbo 3.3-liter Lambda II T-GDi V6, which produces 365 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 376 pound-feet from 1,350 rpm to 4,500 rpm, translating to more power than the BMW 440i Gran Coupe, Audi S5 Sportback, and Infiniti Q50. What’s more, the Stinger GTs are all quicker than the six-cylinder Porsche Panamera.
It’s fast, it’s great value, but does it do the family-hauling part as well? It does, and then some! With 23.3 cu.ft. of cargo space and acres of room for the rear passengers, you could easily use the Stinger as your primary car. And thanks to 60/40 split-folding rear seats, the Stinger isn’t phased off by the occasional trip to IKEA. If you wanted a six-speed manual, tough luck! The 2.2-liter turbo diesel isn't available in the U.S. either.
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